St. Margarets Episcopal Church in Palm Desert California

Organist / Choirmaster

St. Margaret's Organ

Desert Friends of Music
2011-2012 Concert Information

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Music at St. Margaret's Episcopal Church

Organist-Choirmaster
John Wright has been at St. Margaret's since the fall of 1999. Prior to moving to St. Margaret's, he held similar positions in Memphis, Tennessee, San Antonio, Texas and Oklahoma City. A native of Kansas, he is a graduate of Pittsburg State University and The Conservatory of Music of the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He served as a musician in the US Navy. He is a member of the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and the Association of Anglican Musicians. At St. Margaret's he also functions as the Artistic Director of the Desert Friends of Music concert series.

Organ Artist-In-Residence
Frederick Swann is in his eleventh season at St. Margaret’s. For 25 years he was Organist and Director of Music at the famed Riverside Church in New York City, and in a similar position at the Crystal Cathedral in California for 16 years before becoming Artist-in-Residence at The First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, which houses the largest church organ in the world. In addition to his work at St. Margaret’s he recently served six years as National President of the American Guild of Organists (20,000 members with Chapters in every state plus several foreign countries). He is currently Artist Teacher of Organ and University Organist at the University of Redlands, and Organist Emeritus of the Crystal Cathedral and the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles. He has performed nearly 3,000 recitals in all of the United States and 7 foreign countries, retiring from this activity in the fall of 2011.

Director of the St. Margaret's Youth Choir
Craig Gahnz is the Director of the St. Margaret’s Youth Choir and Vocal Coach to the Adult Choir and Chamber Singers. He is the vocal music teacher at Palm Desert Middle and High Schools. He is a graduate of Luther College, Decorah, IA with majors in Music and Musical Theatre and a minor in Dance where he studied choral technique with Weston Noble and sang with the renowned Nordic Choir. He performed in the Tony-Award-winning production of “Fiddler on the Roof” on Broadway.